Intimacy
by Rhiana Rae
Summary: Finally, the sequel to Time Enough For Tears! Stephanie and Ranger continue their relationship, Steph actually hits the GYM, and LIKES it. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Intimacy**

A/N: It's not completely necessary to read Time Enough For Tears before you start this story, but it sure helps! There are spoilers throughout from book one through ten. So basically, just enjoy! Thanks!

Chapter One: Time Enough For Tears 

I woke up to a darkened room and a feeling of being trapped. Instantly, my mind began to race. I was on the verge of hyperventilating when a familiar smell drifted to me in the dark. I wasn't trapped. Ranger had me half-tucked under his body, one arm tossed across my hips, his face buried in my shoulder. He was sound asleep.

Smiling, I played my fingers through the silky hair spilling across me. It was surprisingly soft. Leave it to Ranger to have better hair than me.

I still wanted to stick to my plan. I wanted to be a better bounty hunter. I wanted Ranger to teach me everything he could, and I wanted to be like Jeanne Ellen Burrows. The bitch. Okay, maybe I was just jealous. Yes, definitely jealous. I mean, she was a Rangerette, for crying out loud. She screamed Ranger-training. So now that I was the First Lady, maybe I'd get some of that.

Someday I might even learn to like my gun. I thought about that for a moment. No, that was unlikely. But I was hell with an aerosol can. Pepper spray I could do.

And now I had all these neat black clothes. The leather pants I wasn't sure would ever touch my body again, but hey, they were in my closet.

Wait. I didn't have a closet. I was in Ranger's apartment. All my things were on the floor. The rest of my stuff was at my apartment. The apartment I no longer lived in.

I started having a small panic attack. My underwear would soon be in Ranger's drawers. My lingerie mixed in with that one pair of black boxers…I was hyperventilating. Omigod.

"Babe," Ranger said, his voice heavy. He laid a hand over my heart and said something in melodic Spanish. I froze. I didn't know what he'd said or what it meant, but the gesture touched my heart. I remember now. I love this man, I thought. And just a few hours ago he admitted he loved me too. Wow. Could my day get any weirder? Nervous breakdown, declaration of undying love from the Man of Mystery…

I debated calling Lula to have her check the temperature in Hell, but it hurt when I pinched myself so I figured it was all real. I never imagined any of this would happen. Okay, I had a few times, but only in the dreams I had that I didn't tell anyone about. I never even accepted them _myself_. I mean, this was _Ranger_. The man in black. SWAT man. Batman, even.

And he loved me. Funny how life works out, isn't it? A couple of years ago I looked at this guy and about wet my pants. Now I still just look at him and almost wet my pants, but in a _different_ way.

Tomorrow I would ask Ranger to train me, I thought. A yawn escaped my lips, and Ranger's heavily muscled arm tightened around my hips. Yum, I thought, and closed my eyes.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Something was nuzzling my neck. My first thought was, "Weird, I don't have a dog."

My second was "Oh, goody," when Ranger nipped at the tender skin beneath my jaw.

"Morning, Babe," he said, his voice raspy and shooting tremors down to my toes. I'm pretty sure they curled again.

"Morning, yourself."

"Sleep well?"

"Mmm…"

I could feel him laughing, and the sound made me sigh. This time I was sleeping in his bed as his partner (how weird was that?), not a fling or a one-night stand. The smell of him enveloped me, and made me want to crawl inside his skin and stay there forever. Not literally, but figuratively. Eeew. "I want you to teach me how to be like Jeanne Ellen," I said, running my fingers through his silky hair.

Ranger laughed. "Had that mid-life crisis already, huh?" he said, kissing my collarbone.

"It's not funny. I'm tired of being shot, cut, burned, and kidnapped. I want to be good."

"Oh, you're good," he whispered, trailing his fingers the length of my ribcage and up the side of my breast.

I shivered and moved to swat his hand away, but then he bent his lips to replace it and all thoughts of resistance went out of my head. He put those amazing hands of his to work as well, and by the time he was finished with me I was facedown in the pillow again. I think I might have been purring.

"You're awfully good at that," I said, trying to nonchalantly check and see if I had been drooling. Again.

Ranger was sitting up with his back to me, reading the face of his pager. So that's what woke me from my stupor, I thought. Damn pager. Luckily, he cleared the readout and set it back down before turning to face me full on. My mouth went dry. His hair was slightly disheveled and natural, falling about his shoulders in a sexy sort of disarray. Mine, on the other hand, didn't bear even considering. Too early in the morning, not enough doughnuts.

"Duty calls, babe." I thought he might just get up and leave then, like he had before. It was a pleasant surprise when he wrapped those heavily muscled arms around me and dragged me hard against his naked chest. My pulse began to pound and my purr kicked up again. This got me a smile from Ranger. "You should be Catwoman for Halloween, babe. Getting that purr down pretty well."

I punched him in the shoulder. "It's your fault. I can't help it. You're out of my league."

His lips suckled at the tender place at the base of my ear, allowing him to get away without comment. I felt rather catlike indeed as I stretched languorously beneath him, arching my back up to meet his chest fully with my breasts. Two could play this game, I thought, a wicked smile curving my lips.

I was rewarded with a barely audible growl from deep in Ranger's chest, seconds before I found myself flat on my back with Ranger firmly inside me. Lord, didn't the man ever get tired? I was going to need health insurance if he was like this every day.

"Think you can manage on your own for the day now, babe?" Ranger asked me, tracing lazy circles over the softness of my belly with his middle finger. He placed a gentle kiss on my navel, then my nose, and finally my lips. "Since you've already made me late for work." The gentle rise of his eyebrow told me he was teasing.

"Guilty," I said, smiling. I'd happily make him late for work every day for the rest of my life.

"Ditto," he said, and his backside disappeared into the bathroom.

Shaking my head at him, I dragged myself out of bed. It was very early, but I felt energized enough. My world had taken on a new light since last night. Amazing what a complete nervous collapse could do for your priorities.

My bags were where they'd been left the night before, and I rummaged around in them for a while before settling on the new black designer jeans and the black camisole. I'd finished getting dressed when Ranger was out of the shower, but for now I wanted to savor just being around him. Doing his usual routine. I had made him late for work, so I doubted he'd linger much.

Rex rushed out of his soup can to blink at me, wide-eyed. That was the morning equivalent to 'Where the hell's my breakfast?' in Hamster, so I dropped a grape and some hamster pellets in his cage. Rex, being the connoisseur that he is, sniffed disdainfully at the pellets before stuffing the grape in his cheek pouch and burrowing back into his can, all without a backward glance at me. "Stupid ungrateful Hamster," I said, smiling at his cage.

I was such a dope.

Ranger emerged about two minutes later, finding me curled up on the couch with a book I plucked off a previously unnoticed shelf. "Find something interesting?"

I showed the title to him. "Criminal law," I said. "Looks interesting."

He came to stand behind me and rubbed his thumbs gently over my collarbone. "It's one of my old college books. Read it." He pressed a kiss to my temple, and I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensations of him being in my space for the sole reason of _being_ in my space. It was a heady feeling.

"I sent for Ella to bring up breakfast," he said over his shoulder as he went to retrieve his mail from the sideboard. "She'll be here in about fifteen minutes if you can hold out that long."

I crouched on my knees, peering at him over the back of the couch. "I'll survive. What about you? Aren't you late for work?"

"I called Tank and filled him in on the situation. The guys can handle this one on their own."

I gulped. "Filled them in?"

This got me the wolfish grin. "Babe."

"So, you didn't fill him in on the _whole_ situation?"

The grin stayed in place, and I scowled at him. I knew he wouldn't humiliate me like that. It was Ranger. I watched him shake his head as he opened his mail, piece by piece, read it, and toss it in the trash. The fact that he didn't shred his personal correspondence before tossing it was a great testament to his trust in me. All I had to do was keep earning it.

"So," I said, "do you think you'd have the spare time to um, you know…"

The eyebrow went up. I flushed. _Not_ the direction I was going!

"What I meant was, do you think you could maybe, um, train me?" The last part came out very small. I think I was losing my nerve.

"Train you?" The sparkle in his eyes had me rolling my own.

"Yes. To be like you. Okay, not entirely like you. I still need doughnuts." When Ranger's mouth tipped up at the corners I knew I had him. "I just want to learn more, I guess." My brain went back to the night before. How terrified I had been. And how small I had felt, powerless to stop it.

I bit on my lower lip. "I don't want to be afraid like that again."

Ranger crossed the room to me and drew me down on the couch with him. I leaned into his chest, enjoying how generous he was being with his emotions. It wasn't likely to last. I knew he was giving me the reassurance I needed to get my feet under me and accept the decision I had made, and it would take its toll on him. His job didn't allow for that kind of extra feeling, but he was doing it anyway.

I traced little patterns on his stomach with my fingers. Without meeting his eyes, I asked the question that had been burning in my heart all morning. "Do you still mean what you said last night?"

"Which part?"

I rolled my eyes, eliciting a small chuckle from him, vibrating my hand on his flat stomach. "That you love me."

"Babe."

I couldn't look at him. Not after last night. A rejection would be too much to take.

His hands came down and wrapped themselves around my upper arms, dragging me up the length of his body so were basically nose to nose. And eye to eye. Damn him.

"I'm going to explain this one more time, so pay attention, Steph. You live with me now. I love you. Beyond that, I can't guarantee much. But I love you, and that will never change. I wasn't free to have you when you were with Morelli, but now you're mine." His index finger slipped up under my chin and he cupped the side of my face. "I'm not letting you go again, Babe. You're mine now."

I couldn't stop myself. "But are you mine? Exclusively?" I winced at the question, but he didn't let me go. I was forced to look back into those deep chocolaty dark eyes one more time. This time they were smiling.

"Babe, I've been yours since the day you got me shot."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

That was a pretty good explanation, actually. "You mean the time you got shot in the leg?" If I remembered correctly, Ranger had said 'my _fucking_ leg,' which surprised me because I knew now that he almost never cursed. He'd probably been wearing his big bad wolf costume then, still trying to keep me away. God, it seemed like ages ago that had happened.

Ranger smiled and nodded, brushing errant curls away from my face. "Not so long ago, Babe."

I gaped at him. "How do you do that?"

He just looked at me, that one corner of his lips tipping up.

"Oh, alright, alright, I know. The ESP thing. You'd have to kill me and blah, blah, blah…"

His eyes darkened, and I wondered if I'd said something wrong. Then he shook his head, and I rolled my eyes. I'd have to keep my thoughts closer to my brain, then. I cuddled back down against him, resting my head against his chest. His heartbeat was soothing to me, and in moments I felt myself drifting off into a misty slumber. The feel of Ranger's hands on me, one at the nape of my neck and the other rubbing up and down my back only intensified the yummy effect. The man was like a drug.

I had just begun having a wildly naughty dream when the doorbell rang, making me jump halfway off the couch and out of Ranger's arms.

"Babe," he said, unable to stop his lips from curling upward at the corners. "It's just Ella. With breakfast."

Food! Yippee!

Ella came in looking just as exuberant as ever. When her eyes lit on me she grinned widely. "I see Ranger finally got some common sense," she said. I tried not to laugh, but Ranger's pained expression was priceless.

"Stephanie lives with me now, Ella," he said, taking the tray from her and setting it on the table. "Permanently."

Ella looked shocked for all of two seconds. "Oh, this is wonderful! I have been hoping you wouldn't let her get away!" She took my hand and beamed at me. "It will be so wonderful to have you here, Stephanie."

"Thank you," I said, unsure of what else to say. It was a strange place I found myself in.

When Ella left Ranger uncovered the breakfast tray, revealing fresh fruit, bagels, cream cheese, that other stuff Ranger always used, and some hot buttery croissants. Hmm. The croissants seemed to me the closest thing to a doughnut.

I popped it in my mouth and curled up in the chair across from Ranger, watching him eat. He was so efficient, so catlike in his movements. I didn't care that I was devouring him with my eyes. Since he was mine now, I supposed it gave me devouring rights. Right?

"I think I might go to the gym today," I said, popping another bite of the heavenly little croissant down the hatch.

Ranger's knife stopped six inches from his bagel. "You're serious about this?"

I knew he didn't just mean the gym. He meant about my training. I nodded and swallowed. "I figure now is a good time to start." Hopeless case that I am, the sooner the better, right?

"Do you remember where it is?" he asked me, still looking thoughtful.

"Fifth floor?" I got a nod.

Ranger polished off his bagel and forked some fruit onto his plate. "You haven't touched the coffee, Babe."

Coffee? Oh, holy cow! How did I miss that? The great big silver steaming damn coffee pot! I was maybe a little distracted this morning.

"I guess I have a lot on my mind," I said, pulling a coffee cup and saucer toward me.

Ranger shook his head and picked up the coffee pot and filled my cup. It was a wonder to me to watch his hands move. Something so domestic didn't seem like it could be so…intimate. It fluttered at something inside me, and for once I didn't push it away.

"I--" I broke off, uncertain of whether or not I should just blurt out what was on my lips.

Ranger's eyebrow went up. I was trapped. Dammit. "I, uh, was just going to say that…um…I love you." There. I said it.

The brown of his eyes darkened, and I was hoping it was a good sign. "Babe, you don't have to walk on eggshells around me. You never have. Don't start."

"I guess I feel kind of strange. Now that everything's out in the open, I guess. I don't want to mess it up," I blurted out, and was shocked at how true that was. I had so much more to lose now. It had all hit me like a train, and now I might have been having a small panic attack.

"Babe," Ranger said, and I swear I heard him sigh. "Let me get this straight. I know every little embarrassing thing about you. Almost," he amended, when I grimaced, "and I think no less of you. I've seen, touched, and kissed every inch of your body."

Heaven help me, I was having a hot flash again. I squirmed in my seat, trying to dispel the sudden ache in my body.

"And now, you're nervous?"

I chewed on my lip and cracked my knuckles. "Yes?"

I thought he might have been mad. When he burst out laughing, my mouth dropped to the floor.

"This is not funny!" I yelled. But he just went right on laughing. He was making fun of me! Here I was, having a panic attack over the man of my dreams, and he actually had the nerve to laugh!

I threw a piece of my croissant at him, and nailed him square in the center of the forehead. Which one of us looked more shocked, I will never know. Ranger's lips curled up in a big grin, and I knew I was in for it. I think I probably must have gasped, because his eyes zeroed right in on my mouth, and suddenly the grin was replaced with a predatory smirk. It would explain why I suddenly felt like the prey.

Shrieking, I leapt out of my chair and raced for the bathroom, hoping to lock myself in before I was the rest of breakfast. But wait. What the heck was I running _away_ from him for? He was mine now. I _wanted_ to be caught.

I slammed on the brakes halfway to the bedroom, surprising Ranger who had been hot on my tail. He collided with the back of me with a loud 'Oof!' (Or maybe it was me) and we both went down like a sack of bricks.

I moaned when I got my breath back and tried to lift myself on my forearms. "Oh, my chest, throat, head, neck…Ow," I said, grinning when I saw Ranger flop over onto his back and rub at his chest.

He grinned at me. "I guess I just can't help falling for you," he said.

My mouth dropped. He made a joke? Omigod. I had never, ever heard Ranger make a joke. I started laughing and before I knew it found myself curled up on his chest and clutching my stomach. Ranger's abs clenched and released every time he laughed, making me feel like I was on a roller coaster. But then I got a visual of the abs clenching, and had another hot flash.

This was a side of Ranger I had never seen, a part of himself he kept deeply buried. It touched me on a very instinctive level, and I loved him all the more for it. Sometime today I'd have to face reality and give him up to go to work, but not before I had my way with him one last time.

"Ric," I said, taking deep breaths. "I think I want to ravage you again."

"Sounds tempting," he said, and I could feel the vibration from his deep voice against me, making me think jumping him sounded like the best idea on earth.

"Very tempting," I said, reaching down to trace my tongue along the corded tendon in his neck. The taut control he kept over his reactions to me only made me want to drive him crazier, so I nipped at the taut flesh at the juncture of his jaw. I got a growl out of that one, but then I found myself being lifted and carried somewhere. Uh-oh.

"I think you need a shower, babe," Ranger said, setting me down on the tile floor of the bathroom. Then he began to strip out of his clothes.

Fuzzy lines wafted through my brain. "What? Wait. Didn't you already have…a shower…" I finished lamely, as Ranger had just kicked his black cargos aside and stood fully naked in front of me. I didn't even remember what I'd just asked him. My mouth had gone dry, and I thought my knees might give out any moment.

He just raised an eyebrow and waited. "What?" I asked, then blushed. "Oh."

Fumbling with my top snap and ripping the zipper down, I shimmied out of the clingy jeans and kicked them over to consort with Ranger's pants on the floor. Very erotic somehow. Ranger was in front of me in an instant and divested me of the rest of my clothes.

And his mouth was on me…for the millionth time today already. I was in heaven. His mouth and hands needed an insurance policy. And his… Okay, so hopefully all his parts had insurance policies of their very own.

"Shower," Ranger said, pointing me there. Numbly, I stepped inside the big stall, watching Ranger as he turned the spray on and adjusted the temperature. It was nice that he kept me back out of the water until it was warm enough. Very touching. And then _he_ was touching me, and all thoughts went right out of my head again.

He turned me around and backed me into the spray, letting it soak my hair, brushing it back away from my face with tender hands. I sent him a look full of question, but he just smiled at me. "Let me," he said, and I about collapsed into a puddle.

Watching my face all the while, he took shampoo and massaged it into my scalp. The vibrations of his fingers sent shivers down my spine, goosebumps broke out on my arms, and I think I moaned because his mouth was on mine before my synapses could fire. But he pulled away, leaning me back into the spray to rinse out the shampoo.

I survived through the conditioner all right, but then he picked up his bottle of Bulgari shower gel, squeezing some onto a loofah I didn't recognize. "I had Ella bring it for me," he explained. I didn't care. I closed my eyes and became awash in sensation. The sheer force of Ranger's being, his body so close to me, had me in a state to begin with. Add to that the smell of his shower gel, my body all wet and slippery, and his hands on me? Lord, somebody better check with NASA to make sure I didn't shoot off into the stratosphere.

"I'm putty in your hands," I said. I think I was probably purring again. Ranger smiled and maneuvered me out of the spray. He touched the loofah to my forearm, scrubbing gently in small circles. I shivered, and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the shower. He followed up that arm and down the other, even massaging my fingers as he went.

And did the man look good wet, or what! Seeing all that shiny black hair running water down his chest like that was definitely worth opening my eyes for. And he was all mine.

The shower gel from heaven had worked its way to my chest by now, and the things he was doing to my breasts made me want to jump up and sing the hallelujah chorus. Twice. The pattern seemed that he was just going to keep going farther south, and about two minutes later I got confirmation. My knees collapsed and I slumped against the shower wall, eliciting a chuckle from Ranger, who seemed to be having a great old time _taking_ his time.

And oh, no, I was certainly not complaining. Exhausted already. But not complaining.

"Turn around," he said, squeezing more gel onto the loofah.

"Huh?" I said, not caring to open my eyes.

"Time to do your back."

"Oh, God."

"I'll try my best," he said, grinning in a very wicked way.

About forty minutes later I was flat on my back, arm flung over my eyes…purring.

Again.

"What is it exactly, about you, that makes me do this?" I grumbled aloud to Ranger, who was getting dressed once more.

He smiled at me. I couldn't see him, but I felt it. "I have that effect on women."

I threw a pillow at him. Whack! Right in the back. "Not anymore. _Wo_man. Me. Singular."

Ranger laughed and brought my pillow back. Instead of smothering me with it, like I thought he might, he put his hand under my neck and lifted me, situating the pillow comfortably beneath my back. He traced my cheek with two fingertips, then the outline of my mouth. I wondered if he was thinking anything along the same lines I was. How lucky I was that we were finally giving each other a chance. How amazing it was that I could touch him now, anytime I wanted. That he would be there, with me, all the time now.

"Yeah, babe," he said softly. "That sums it up."

He bent and kissed my lips softly, pulling the comforter up to my chin. "Rest," he said. "I have to go to work."

I smiled and gave him a little finger wave, flopping my arm back on the bed. It was quiet for so many moments I thought he must have gone, but his voice startled me, even though it was very soft across the room.

"I love you, Babe."

Then I knew he was gone. I physically felt his presence leave the room, and I felt empty inside. So I did what I do best. I rolled over on my stomach, curled up, and fell asleep.

And when I woke up, I was going to the gym.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three 

Full daylight streamed in through the bedroom windows, warming my face and making me burrow deeper into the covers. But they seemed empty without Ranger inside them, even though the smell of Bulgari lingered. I held my arm to my nose and sniffed, happy that I still smelled like him even if he wasn't with me.

And I was going to the gym. I steeled my spine and threw the covers back, dug around in my bags for some shorts and my nifty new sexy black tank top, laced up my new running shoes, and headed into the bathroom to see what could be done about my rat's nest.

_Yikes!_ Frightening hair. Nothing to be done for it, unless I wanted to end up taking _three_ showers today. No thanks. Okay, unless Ranger was in them. I fanned myself. It seemed I could settle on running a brush through it and pulling it into a high ponytail. Maybe I could get away without frightening anyone.

I looked in the mirror again, but closer this time. The ponytail hid most of the frizz ball that could at times be classified as curls. My skin had a very healthy glow, and that damn smile was back on my face. I brushed my teeth, flossed, and rinsed with Listerine (Eeeyuck!), but the smile still wouldn't go away! Oh well. This was as good as I was going to get today, I might as well enjoy the smile. Sex was the best make-up, ever.

Okay. Off to the gym, then.

On my way out the door, I rooted around in Ranger's refrigerator to find Rex some breakfast. Luckily, there was some Swiss cheese and a bunch of fresh grapes. Lucky hamster. I cut off a chunk of the cheese, dropping it and a grape inside Rex's cage. I was rewarded with a blur of fluff racing for the food from the soup can. He shoved the cheese in his cheek pouch, picked up the grape, and made his way back into the soup can. "Well, good morning to you, too," I said. Hamsters could be so human in the morning.

The breakfast mess had already been cleaned up, and I could hear someone bustling around in the foyer. I peeked around the corner to find Ella busy dusting off anything she could get her hands on. When she saw me standing there a smile lit her face and she rushed me.

"Ms. Plum! I had a feeling I'd be seeing you here again before too long!"

I didn't know whether to blush or not, so I just smiled. "I, um…I live here now," I said. It felt funny to say that. Hmm.

Ella beamed brighter. "It's about time Ranger found himself someone special. That boy has been alone too long." She turned her back to me and continued dusting, never breaking stride in the conversation. "Since he divorced his wife, he's been the job. Sometimes I think the only thing that keeps him going is his little girl."

This caught my attention. "Can you tell me about his daughter, Ella? Would Ranger mind? I always want to ask him, but he's so…"

"Busy."

"Yeah."

Ella smiled and turned back to me for a second. "Her name is Maria. I think she must be closer to ten years old now. The most beautiful child I have ever seen."

My eyes widened. "You've seen her?"

"One time, in a photograph. She was very small then, only four or five. But you could see her father in her," she said. "And her mother." At this, her lips seemed to thin, but she kept her comments to herself on that subject.

"Have you ever met his wife?"

"_Ex_-wife," Ella corrected me. "They have been divorced since I've known Ranger. He has been here eight years that I am aware of, so Maria must only have been nearly two when it happened. I have never met her. He never speaks of his ex-wife."

I made a mental note not to pry too hard on that issue. Stephanie Plum, pry? _Moi_? Okay, it was a given. I'd try very hard.

"Don't worry, dear," Ella said, coming to pat my shoulder. "You are far more beautiful to Ranger than his ex-wife."

Mental note. ESP extends to RangeMan employees as well. "Thanks. I was just going to the gym. Is there anything I can help you with before I leave?"

Ella wouldn't hear of it, and all but shoved me out the door. I took the elevator down to the fifth floor, and stepped out into a large foyer. I could hear voices talking and laughing beyond the hallway leading out. Probably there was a locker room. Thank God I didn't need it. That would go over well. Me sharing a locker room with the Merry Men. Unh.

The hallway off the entry room was short, and it opened onto a very large room that easily spanned the entire floor length of the building. A boxing ring sat ready and waiting to be used far to my right. Large mats of different sizes were laid out, probably for practicing karate for all I knew. There were cases and cabinets in the nearest corner. They probably held training weapons and stuff, from what I could see. Various pieces of exercise equipment lined one side of my half of the building, looking shiny bright and ready to use. Treadmills, stair climbers, and blah blah blah. I didn't know the names of any of the rest of it. Against my religion.

There were quite a few people in the gym already, and among the faces I spotted Bobby and Lester. They were climbing into the boxing ring, but they weren't wearing any protective gear. Merry Men were probably exempt from needing any. They started sparring. Circling, jabbing, kicking, twirling…it made me tired just to watch.

Probably it was best that I didn't stand and stare like a goose with my mouth open. I spied an empty-ish corner with a treadmill on it that looked safe. Probably my best bet, since I had no idea how on earth to use the stuff. Probably you just pushed 'go,' or something. It looked a lot more complicated when I walked up closer to it. Just like Ranger's damn cars, this machine looked like it could communicate with NASA.

"All I want to do is walk," I said to the machine, hands on my hips. "Not fly the space shuttle."

A chuckle behind me had me whirling around, hand clapped over my mouth. A man I didn't recognize stood in front of me, wearing black jogging pants and a tank top. He was big, and buff, and tanned. Dark wavy hair nicely topped dark eyes. Broad shoulders narrowed down to lean hips and large muscular legs.

Yum on a stick.

"Do you need some help?" he asked, flashing me white teeth in an amused smile.

I resisted the urge to run. "Nope, I'm just fine. Thanks," I said and turned back to the machine, considering it.

The chuckle came again, and the guy stepped around me to hit the power button. "This lever controls how fast you want the belt to move. This way slows it down, this speeds it up." He stood back and smiled at me, amusement curling his lips in a very Ranger-esque way.

"Who are you?"

The smile widened. "Zack Morgan. I just got back from Cuba. You must be Stephanie."

"I didn't mean to blow up that funeral home. It wasn't my fault!"

This time he really laughed, and it was a pleasant sound. "Ranger told me you'd be here. He said to play nice."

"I'm not afraid of you," I said, lifting my chin.

"I don't think it was you he was worried about."

Now I smiled. Ranger had taken to warning his men about me. Charming. In an annoying sort of way. I wasn't _that_ bad…

Was I?

"Hey, Zack!" Lester called, walking up behind us. "You're not harassing the Bombshell already, are you? Hey, Bomber," Lester said, smiling at me. He looked at the treadmill and back at me. "You're not serious, are you?"

I gave him my best pissy look, which only got me more laughing from Zack. I was beginning to like him. He laughed a lot. And he used complete sentences.

Lester shook Zack's hand. "Good to have you back, man. The Bombshell here is our newest addition. But I think she may have a fever. Or she's lost." He raised an eyebrow at me, and I glared more. It seemed the best thing to do. Besides, there were too many nice bodies all around me. I couldn't think straight.

My spine stiffened, and I brought my chin up even higher. I'd show them. Laughing at me. How rude! I stomped up on the treadmill, but it was going a little too fast. "How do I slow this thing down? Oh, yeah! I remember. You just push this little lever, right?"

Zack's eyes widened. "No! Not that way!"

Too late. I shoved the lever forward, hard…

The last things I saw before everything faded to black were Lester and Zack's shocked faces, and the world zooming away from me at high rates of speed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four 

"Whoa," I said, blinking my eyes at the bright lights. "Who took my gravity?"

Lester was clutching his stomach, from the looks of it trying his best not to wet himself at my little display. I made a mental note to pay him back. Later.

"You might have pushed the lever the opposite way you meant to," Zack hedged, flashing me those brilliant white Cheshire cat teeth in a large grin.

"Of course I meant to," I grumbled. "I work out all the time. Every day. In my sleep." I realized dimly that I was lying on my back and someone had my head in their lap. Damn. No, it wasn't a lap. It was a folded up cushy sweatshirt. But it smelled really nice, so I figured it was almost as good.

Lester snorted and turned away, shoulders shaking. "Ass!" I yelled to his retreating back.

Another snort.

"Stupid, egotistical, macho man, I-can-kick box-and-you-can't, too good…" I grumbled, throwing an arm across my eyes.

There was another loud laugh and I remembered Zack was still there. Wonderful. Great way to meet more of Ranger's men, Steph. Fall flat on your face. Well, at least I was consistent. Might as well get to know the real me right off the bat. Pull no punches. That sort of thing.

"I think I might need to sit up now," I said, and Zack grabbed my hands to help me up. "Okay, much worse," I said, as the blood rushed to my brain. "I don't exactly come here much," I confessed.

"I thought as much. Most regulars don't talk to the exercise equipment."

"What was your name again?" I asked. In case I had brain damage or something from being bucked off by the treadmill from Hell.

"Zack Morgan," he said, extending a hand. His grip was gentle but firm, and he smiled into my eyes when he said his name. A very likable person. "I just got back from Cuba about three hours ago. My apartment is on the sixth floor."

"What were you doing in Cuba?" I asked.

"Job for Ranger. He'll fill you in later tonight. I spoke with him before I came to the gym, remember?"

"Nope," I said, rolling my neck around. "I don't remember a thing. Humiliation will do that to you, you know."

Zack smiled and perused my face for a moment. "Would you like to work out with me for a bit? I could help you."

"OH no! Nope. I've had enough embarrassment for one day, thanks."

"Come on," he said. "I think I know something that would suit you. You might even actually like it."

I rolled my eyes. "If it's got to do with exercise, I wouldn't hold your breath."

"Ranger said that, too."

I glared at him and got more laughing.

"Try it?" he said. His brown eyes were very persuasive. Dammit.

"Okay. But if you end up in the emergency room it's not my fault!"

He laughed and led me over to one of the cabinets lining the walls. It was black and basic metal, but when he opened it I gasped. It was filled with all kinds of weapons. Long sticks and short sticks, spear-looking things and more spear things with various hooks on the ends, swords both long and short, and these really nifty trident looking things with handles on them. They captured my attention first. They were…sexy!

"I thought you might like those," Zack said. "Most independent women love the Sais. They're sexy."

"You don't have ESP, do you?" I asked him. What was it with people and being able to read my damn mind!

"Not that I'm aware of. That's what most women think of these," he said, pulling a pair of them out of the case and handing them to me. "You shouldn't be able to really hurt yourself with these, unless you stab yourself. They aren't sharp."

"What did you call them again?" I asked, slipping my fingers around the small curled points to the sides. The weight was unfamiliar in my hands, but comfortable. I slid the blades against each other and smiled at the crystalline ringing.

"When you get really good sparring with them, you can make them sing," Zack said softly, as though he didn't want to interrupt my enjoyment.

"Can you teach me how to use these?" I blurted out. Then I blushed. Kind of presumptuous to ask a guy you'd barely met to spend all his spare time-

"Sure. It'll keep me in practice, too, actually. It's been awhile." He pulled another pair of Sais from the case. These were a bit longer, closer to twenty-four inches from the base of the handle to the tip of the blade.

"Mine are bigger because they need to be fit to you. If they're too much longer than the length of your forearm from elbow to wrist you can whack yourself."

"So that's why mine are shorter." Call me Stephanie Plum, master of the obvious.

"You catch on quickly."

I sent him my best pissy look, which only resulted in more laughter. He was irritatingly likable. Damn him. Ranger knew I'd like him. It was probably why he'd sent him after me. And I knew he'd sent him after me because he was thoughtful enough not to let me get bored. Either that, or he remembered how crazy I was _last_ time I got bored while I was here.

"Okay, the basic things you need to know are that these are used mainly for jabbing and punching. You can strike the side of someone's face with the edge of the blade, or you can stab them with the tip." He made some basic movements, slashing sideways and then thrusting the blade forward. I copied him, and he smiled with approval.

"Widen your stance a little bit, and drop your shoulders down so you're not so tense. It's all about fluidity of motion." He made some more moves, different directions and put together, and it came off almost like a dance. Very beautiful, actually.

"Okay, so I need to be graceful?" Dammit.

"The grace will come naturally with these. The points on the sides can be used to catch an opponents weapon and twist it out of their hands. Let me show you." He moved to stand behind me, thrust my left arm straight out to my side, hooked the prong of his Sai against mine, and shoved. The blade went flying out of my hand and bounced on the floor. It made a loud noise, but no one paid any attention.

"Wow."

"Yeah," he said. "It's pretty effective." He picked up my Sai from where it had fallen and handed it back to me. "You sure you want to learn how to do this?"

I nodded. This appealed to me in a way no other form of working out ever had.

"Then let's go over there on a mat," he said. "You don't want to fall on hard ground with one of these under you." His smile was gentle and warm, and it was nice to know that someone could genuinely want to help me, even though they didn't know me. Or maybe it was _because_ he didn't know me…

"Now stand in the position I showed you," he said. I tried, and then he came over to adjust my grip on the Sais so that the blades rested between my index and middle finger. It felt much more comfortable. "Better?"

"Much."

"Okay," he said, settling into the same alert but relaxed position. "From this position, you can move your body any which way. That's why it's best to use this position when you're just learning."

My mind went immediately south of the border and brought some heated visuals to the backs of my eyes. My cheeks flamed, and I knew I was blushing.

"You have a dirty mind, Ms. Plum," he said, and he winked at me.

"I can't help it! It's the Jersey Girl in me."

"Terrible excuse."

I glared at him and got more laughing. He laughed easily and often. I was thinking we could be very good friends indeed. And if Ranger trusted him, then I trusted him. It wasn't even a matter to think over. I trusted Ranger with my life, and if he would trust someone to get close to me then they were trustworthy.

"Try and block my blades this time," Zack said, after showing me how to move and do some turns properly. I felt comfortable with the Sais already, like I'd been using them for years. Zack must be pretty advanced in his own martial arts if he could pick out how easy these would be for me. I never thought I'd be useful or good at any kind of fighting. But this didn't feel like fighting. This felt powerful, and feminine at the same time. It was _very_ empowering!

"Okay," I said, holding one blade low at my waist and the other at shoulder lever, with my shoulders relaxed, just like he showed me. It felt natural, but the Sais easily weighed three pounds each, and my muscles were underdeveloped. One thing I could count on from them was more upper arm strength!

Zack came at me, a bit slowly, but still moving fast enough to take all my attention. He moved as if to strike my face (far enough away that he wouldn't really touch me) and I successfully blocked him. Another jab to my side, and I brushed him aside, turning out of his reach. He smiled, proud, and lashed out again. And again. And again.

Forty minutes later, I was exhausted and exhilarated all at once. I had blocked almost all of his attacks, and moved correctly.

"Do you want faster?" Zack asked, flipping the blades around backwards in his hands. He flashed me the big grin, and my breath caught.

"Don't do that," I said, glaring at him. "It's devastating."

He shook his head and continued smiling. "I wouldn't tell Ranger that. He'd lock me up."

"Somehow I'm having a hard time working up any fear of you," I said, brushing a stray piece of hair from my ponytail behind my ears. I was sweating profusely, and I still didn't want to stop.

"I figured as much," Zack said, crouching into a lower position. "Wanna try to up the danger a little? Feeling comfortable?"

I flipped my ponytail over my shoulder and grinned back at him. My self-confidence was skyrocketing, and I felt sexy as hell with the Sais in my hands. Zack was a good teacher, and he wouldn't throw me more than he felt I could handle. I could handle faster. I had been watching him strike and move, and thought maybe I could get away with it myself. Let's see what the New and Improved Stephanie Plum can do, I thought.

"Feeling very comfortable."

"And sexy."

"You got me. These things are sexy."

Zack smiled. "I told you."

"Smart ass."

"Come on," he said. "Let's see what you've got, kitten."

"Very funny."

He lunged for me then, and I laughed and danced out of his way. He raised an eyebrow at me and I laughed again. Exhilarated was definitely the word for how I felt. If I could master these blades, I could do anything. The new Stephanie Plum would have a real chance.

"Nice," he said, and lunged for me again. I let my brain go, and let my body feel what was going to happen. The sound of our blades striking was like music to my ears. He was right. If you got better you could make them sing. And Zack was definitely better. But he let me continue winning, giving me just enough challenge to really make me work for it. He slashed, and jabbed, and moved like lightning.

But I wouldn't give up. I was panting, and my heart was beating, and suddenly I wanted to win. Very, very badly I wanted to win.

On the next available opening I lashed out with my blade, catching him in the shoulder and knocking him back a few inches. His eyes widened, and the grin turned wickedly mischievous. "Fighting back, kitten?" he taunted, and a slow smile spread across my lips.

"Who's fighting?" I asked innocently, and laughed when he lunged for me again. Zack was big and heavily muscled, but I was smaller and faster than he was. I could dance easily away from him most of the time, but it wasn't any real fun.

He lashed out diagonally with his blade and I met it in midair. Again and again, his blade met mine and sang. Down low and back up to try and get at his face. It got more intense, the more he realized I was really taking to the Sais. He had a potential star pupil on his hands, and my thoughts were that he was going to test the shit out of her.

"Careful, kitten," Zack said, stepping in close and missing my hip by centimeters, "I may decide not to be gentle."

"Oh, please," I said, rolling my eyes tucking myself behind him. It was just fast enough that I had an opening to hook his Sai the way he'd done with me earlier. I saw my chance, and I seized it before it passed away. _Clang_! His blade dropped to the floor, without as much force as mine had, but to the floor nonetheless.

Zack's mouth dropped. "You'll be here every day from now on, if you really want to get good with these," he said, striking out with a backward slash that grazed my arm with the tip of his blade. I yelped and jumped back, but didn't drop my own weapon. It hadn't broken the skin, but Zack looked apologetic all the same.

"Stephanie, I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

I looked down at my arm and the red welt blooming there. It was painful, but I didn't want to stop. I was at a point of pleasure and pain. Just like when you were making love to someone and the pleasure was so unbearable it almost hurt? That was where I found myself now. The power I felt was indescribable. I was sexy. I was in control (sort of). And I felt like I could even tell Jeanne Ellen to kiss my ass.

I shook my head. "It's fine." Crouching into a low position, I held one of the blades above my head and grinned at him. "Come on, Zack…what are you waiting for?"

I purred the last bit, laughing when he rolled his eyes at me.

And then he was on me again, pressing his weight advantage harder and harder. It forced me back a step or two, and I began to get a little nervous. He was awfully big, and much stronger than me. I'd have to fight dirty.

The next time he stepped into me, I whirled around with my back to him and dropped my blade to pelvic height, a single breath away from the family jewels.

Zack stopped, mouth open, and gaped at me. "You fight dirty," he said, a slow grin curling his lips.

I laughed. "I like to win."

Applause broke out around us, and I all but jumped out of my skin. I stepped quickly back from Zack, who still looked shocked. The powerful high that I'd been on dissipated as quickly as it had come on, and I blushed ten shades of red. My nose was dripping sweat, I was tired, and the muscles in my arms suddenly felt very limp.

There were about fifteen people standing a ways back from the mat, clapping and cheering. I recognized Bobby and Lester, and when I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck I knew Ranger was right behind me. My knees went limp, and his arm caught me around the waist in time to prevent an embarrassing fall.

Ranger kissed my temple, sweat and all, and breathed me in. "Babe," he growled into my ear, and a flash of heat went straight south. Only through extreme self-control did I manage not to whimper, or moan. Zack had nothing on this man.

"Morgan," Ranger said, extending his hand and smiling warmly at him, "it's good to have you back." He squeezed my shoulder slightly. "She didn't break you."

Zack grinned. "Almost did. She plays dirty."

"That's my girl," Ranger said, and kissed my temple again. I was mortified. Ranger was usually never touchy-feely in front of anyone. I guess now that we were officially 'together' it was okay for him to be public about it. I wondered now if that had been more out of respect for me than a need for secrecy. Hmm. I'd have to think about that later.

"You gonna take a bow, Babe?" Ranger said, smiling at me.

I looked around at the faces, surprised that most of them were beaming at me, and not Zack.

"Does this mean I won?" I asked.

"It would appear that way," Zack said dryly. He smiled at me. "Be here tomorrow at ten, and I'll teach you more. If you're interested in learning, that is. If you ask me, you're a natural with the Sais, Stephanie. It would be a crime not to pursue it for you."

It was a genuine statement and it made me uncomfortable. I wasn't _ever_ a natural at _anything_. And to be told that I was by a guy who was obviously a master was even more disconcerting.

Ranger looked at me, and I realized I hadn't said anything. "Oh. Yes. Yes, I'll be here. I really like these," I said to no one in particular, examining the dulled blades. They were possibly the sexiest weapons I had ever seen. You certainly didn't see them walking around the streets of Trenton every day.

"Damn, Bombshell!" Lester said, jogging over. "Didn't you see any of us standing here?"

I shook my head. "I was busy."

"I'll say," he said, grinning. " We've been standing here for almost an hour. You were giving Zack a run for his money, and he's…" he trailed off at Zack's warning look that I _almost_ missed, and finished lamely with, "…well trained." Then the grin was back in place and Lester patted my back. "You'll do nicely, Bombshell. I'm thinking you'll do just …fine." And he walked away.

"What was that all about?" I asked, and the guys just laughed.

"You need a shower," Ranger stated, and Zack raised an eyebrow at me. "And thanks to you, so do I." And without another word he scooped me up in his arms, Sais and all, and carried me out of the room.

"You can bring those back later, kitten!" Zack called, and the guys' laughter followed us out into the foyer.

I nestled the Sais onto my stomach so they wouldn't fall and wrapped my arms around Ranger's neck. "I need a shower?"

"Yeah."

"And you need one because…"

Ranger growled, deep in his throat. "Because if I don't have you naked and wet in five seconds I'm going to explode."

I couldn't help it. I got a visual of our morning shower and I moaned, low and throaty, right into his ear.

We reached the elevator and Ranger hit Seven without putting me down. Half a second later he pushed the stop button, reached up into the corner of the elevator and disconnected a cable, pushed button two on his cell phone, barked "Don't bother us," into the mouthpiece, slammed the phone closed, pressed me up against the elevator wall, still nestled safely in his arms, and crushed my mouth with his.

The Sais slid from my stomach and clanged loudly to the floor, making me jump. Ranger took that opportunity to situate me better, wrapping my legs around his hips. Dimly I realized that he was wearing his work clothes, and his belt was in the way, nudging me uncomfortably.

Even as I thought this, Ranger set my bottom on the handrail and stripped the belt off. He unsnapped and unzipped his cargo pants and freed himself, making me moan again in anticipation. I needed him now as badly as he needed me.

"Babe," he said, his tone asking me if I was ready for him.

"Yes, Ric," I said, tugging at his shirt, pulling him closer to me. I needed him inside me now or I'd die, right there in the elevator. "I'm ready."

"Thank God," he said, and plundered my mouth with his, even as he lifted my hips and with one hand stripped my shorts and panties down. He wrapped my legs around his hips again, and I whimpered, clutching at his shoulders for support.

And then he thrust inside me, hard. I saw stars behind my eyes and I gave a strangled half-scream, sinking my teeth deep into his neck. He growled again and gathered me close, stroking me inside so hard and fast that I was beyond all coherent thought. My body was on fire, and I was a mad woman. I clawed at his back and arched my own, pressing against him as fully as possible.

Ranger was a man possessed. His mouth devoured any bits of skin it could reach. My neck, my face, my mouth…no piece of me was safe, and my body reveled in his attentions. The feel of him moving in and out of me, stretching me, drove me to the point of desperation. His strong arms were moving me back and forth, holding me up against the wall as though I weighed nothing.

Our eyes locked, and in the deep black pools of his eyes I saw myself the way I knew now that he must have seen me. Wild and untamed, and completely irresistible. I was inside his defenses, and he loved me as much as I loved him. I wondered distantly if he could see in my own eyes that he had become my world.

But then heat spread through me, my muscles clenched, and I teetered on the brink. Ranger stopped moving for a split second, took my lips in the sweetest kiss I've ever known, and whispered, "Te amo, querida…"

And with his eyes still locked on mine, he thrust once more…and we both fell apart. I screamed, the sound muffled because I buried my head in his shoulder. Ranger groaned, long and loud, his body stiffening to the point of steel. I could feel his release deep inside me, and tears filled my eyes.

When he finally stilled within me, we just stayed that way for a long moment, breathing in each other's scent and relishing the feel of being so close. His heart was pounding so hard against my own I thought it might burst from his chest and run away with mine. I took my first shaky breaths and pulled back just far enough to smile at him. His lips tempted me, and I brushed them with my own.

Ranger put his hand possessively on the back of my neck and held me there, worshipping my mouth with his. So tender were his kisses that it made my heart hurt. "I love you, Ricardo Manoso," I said. "I love you."

Ranger rested his forehead against my own and sighed. "I love you, Stephanie Plum. I've been a fool. I'm sorry."

"No," I said. "Not a fool. Everything is just right. I'm so happy," I said, and was surprised to find that it was true. Ranger made me very, very happy.

"Let's get you into the shower," Ranger said, righting his own clothing. "You'll be sore later."

"From the workout?" I asked, managing a cheeky smile.

Ranger's eyebrow went up, and I sighed. "I'm going to need health insurance if this is going to continue."

He took my lips in another possessive kiss as he set me on my feet. "You'll need it," he said, and bent to grab my panties and shorts, pulling them up my legs. "It's going to continue, Babe. I'll never have enough of you," he said, pushing the seventh floor button again.

"Well, that's a promise I'll hold you to," I said.

"Count on it, Babe."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five 

Seconds later we reached the seventh floor. Ranger bent to retrieve the abandoned Sais, and I was grateful. My body was Jell-o. It was hard enough to drag myself through his apartment to the bathroom. But Ranger took care of me. He turned the water on and regulated it, stripped me of my clothing, and gently maneuvered me into the hot spray. He left me then, and I soaked the heat into my body.

I was thinking it might be so comfortable just to sit against the shower wall and let the water rush over me…

There was a hand stroking the side of my face. I batted at it, and tried to turn away, but a wall stopped me right quick. "Babe," Ranger said, and I drifted from my fog toward his voice. There was an amused chuckle, very soft, and hands were gripping mine, pulling me upright before my world came into focus.

"Whoa," I said, as I was lifted from the shower. "What happened?"

Ranger wrapped a huge towel around my body and pulled me close to him, inhaling deeply of my hair. I snuggled into his hard body, into the grooves and edges that fit my own curves so perfectly. He held me close to him for a while, just stroking my back and my arms, before he spoke again.

"You fell asleep on my shower floor, Babe. Not safe."

"Hmm, but it was so comfortable."

"I think you over-exhausted yourself today. Can you handle some dinner before I put you to bed?"

Food. My stomach growled loudly and I could feel Ranger laughing. "I'll take that as a yes," he said. He took the towel from my body and dried me off the rest of the way, taking extra care around the sensitive areas. He was so gentle sometimes; it was hard to equate the image with the one of cold, hard mercenary.

Ricardo Carlos Manoso was many men, but I knew I loved all of them equally.

Ranger pulled a long black robe from the hook on the door and bundled me into it. "Better?" he asked me, his voice soft.

I nodded, and took a moment to really look at him coherently. He'd changed from his work clothes into a pair of black jogging pants and a black tank top, and he looked edible. The long black hair was still pulled back, and he was barefoot. That got my attention. He really had beautiful feet.

"Thanks," Ranger said, and grinned when I gaped at him. "Come on, Ella brought up dinner while you were dead to the world."

He directed me to the kitchen through my sleep-induced fog, but the minute I smelled the food I lit up like a Christmas tree. "Spaghetti! And…" I sniffed bigger. "Garlic bread. Mmm…"

Ranger heaped a plate full of food in front of me and sat down across from me. I was surprised he was eating at all, being that spaghetti was against his diet religion. "I have to work tonight, Babe," he said.

"Can I ask where?" I didn't mean it defensively. It was part of our relationship parameters that some things we couldn't share. But it didn't hurt to ask.

"I'll fill you in on all the details when I get back. Until then, I want you to try and get some sleep," he said, smiling as I plowed through the whole plate of spaghetti and reached for more garlic bread. "Ella already knows what you like," he said. "It's a gift."

I nodded vigorously, suddenly ravenous. I ate another half a plate full of spaghetti before I was ready to collapse into a coma again. I was just lolling off with my head back on my chair when Ranger scooped me up in his arms and carried me to bed. "Mmm…" I said, cuddling against him. Our bed.

He laid me down on his side of the bed and opened the belt at my waist, spreading my robe wide. My skin could feel his eyes looking me over for long moments before he nudged me to roll over. The robe was tossed somewhere, and then Ranger's fingers were tracing my face.

"I have to go to work, Babe," he said, but I grabbed at his hands before he could go.

"Stay," I said through my fog. "Just…until I fall asleep. Please, Ric?" I didn't want him to leave me yet. Now that I knew what it was like to feel so safe and secure with his arms around me, I couldn't bear to sleep any other way.

A second later the bed shifted as Ranger's body came up close behind mine. He pulled the covers over my naked and quickly chilling flesh, and followed the blanket with his heavy arms. It felt so good, and I told him so. His nose nuzzled my neck, and tiny little kisses peppered my jaw line. "I'll stay, querida," he whispered into my ear, and I sighed, burrowing backwards to press more firmly against him.

"I love you," I whispered, and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up sometime during the night, disoriented. I had been dreaming about being back in my old apartment, sitting on the couch with Joe and watching the game. A pizza from Pino's had been sitting between us, and Bob the dog sat watching it with forlorn eyes, ever hopeful that we'd look away. It had been a cozy scene, but the reminder wrenched my heart. The past was a hell of a thing.

I sat up and rubbed my hands over my eyes, not surprised that I was alone. Ranger was working. Batman was out making the world safer for the human race.

Thinking of him brought a smile to my face, and helped to ease the pain of my dreams. He'd stayed with me, true to his word, until I'd fallen fast asleep. I didn't remember hearing or feeling him move off the bed and leave me. He was always considerate to let me sleep. It was something that surprised me, given his schedule. Joe was always up and moving around, making morning noises. I almost always woke up when he woke up. Looking back now, I could see that he wasn't very considerate about me that way. And in others…

When we made love, Joe was always good with me. I always enjoyed myself, but the focus wasn't solely on me. And when Joe was finished, it was pretty much over. But when I was in Ranger's arms… My mouth went dry, and I swallowed convulsively. Ranger always took his time with me. Okay, except in the elevator, but those were extenuating circumstances. Usually, he seemed more intent on me, how he was making me feel, than on his own pleasure. Not that he didn't enjoy himself immensely. There were times I thought that just seeing me come to my peak set him off. You could see it in his eyes. They'd go liquid black, and narrow just slightly. And if you listened very closely you could hear his breathing kick up, only a notch or two.

I was a very lucky woman, I decided, throwing the covers back. I padded into the kitchen, barefoot and naked and not caring a single little bit. Rex's little wheel was squeaking away. Must be time for that midnight run, I thought dryly. Poor little guy, he must be starving after all that exercise. Rooting around in the fridge again, I tossed a grape inside his cage, following with some hamster nuggets. Gourmet dining at its finest. Then I ate a bunch of grapes, because it seemed like the right thing to do.

The clock on Ranger's microwave read '8:47,' so it wasn't really all that late. Good. Maybe I could get down to the gym and practice a bit before the guys got back. Likely, it was empty this time of night. I hoped.

That decided, I changed into my black stretchy yoga pants (thank you, Macy's!) and a tight white t-shirt. My hair was a rat's nest, so I shoved it back into a ponytail and hoped no one would see me.

That said, it still felt a little strange living here. Okay, it was only my first day, and I hadn't had the opportunity to really get acquainted with any more of Ranger's Merry Men besides Zack. I should give it a little more time before I pegged one feeling or another about it. Probably all Ranger's men were great. Probably none of them had prison records. Probably they all knew that I was Ranger's property (ooh, did I just say 'property' and like it? Whoa…) and wouldn't make any comments. Yeah, I was going to go with that possibility.

I wondered if they all thought I was a joke. Most of the time I frequently thought it, so it would come as no surprise for these seasoned professionals to have a laugh at my expense. The way my job went sometimes, you had to know how to have a laugh or you'd jump off a bridge.

Grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge and rummaging around in the drawers for something to write with, I penned Ranger a note telling him where I was. It was probably a futile gesture, considering the whole building was covered in cameras and surveillance equipment, but it felt like the right thing to do. Considerate. That was me, sweet and considerate Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire…

The hallway was empty on the fifth floor when the elevator doors slid open. Good. I resisted the urge to sprint through the lobby. Whoever was manning the cameras tonight didn't need any more reasons to laugh at me. The time I hit Hal with the stun gun would keep me in their thoughts long enough as it was.

The gym was fairly empty, though not as much as I'd hoped. A few guys were gathered around some of the weight machines, lifting and talking. They were big, and more than a little gorgeous, but I resisted the temptation to go stare. Instead I directed myself to the treadmill that had bucked me off earlier. At least I'd been paying attention when Zack had shown me how to use it. I definitely knew which way _not_ to push the lever.

There were little headphones attached to a TV on the ceiling that I hadn't noticed before. Yay! I could watch TV while I worked out! Every couch potato's dream come true. However, even with all the channels RangeMan LLC could afford, there was still no showing of Ghostbusters on. Dammit. I settled on MTV instead. At least the music would keep me going!

So there I was, Stephanie Plum, actually using a treadmill. The urge to feel my forehead was strong. But then the image of Jeanne Ellen in her perfect leather pants popped into my head, and I was pissed off. I pushed the lever, speeding up the treadmill and my workout. A heavy rap song was playing on the TV, and it motivated me to work harder. If I had to run on this stupid machine every damn day to make my ass look better than hers, I would.

Time passed. I'm not sure how long it was, but I was breathing hard and sweating profusely. None of the guys in the room bothered me, and it let me concentrate on working out. I remembered how I had felt earlier, when Zack was teaching me how to use the Sais, and tried to recapture that feeling. No good. Maybe I only felt sexy when I was actually using them. Oh well. In the morning I'd get Zack to show me more moves. The fact that he was drop dead YUMMY had nothing to do with it, either. Nope.

I'm a big fat liar, too.

The man was incredibly gorgeous. I was beginning to think there must be a female board that 'Okays' the Merry Men before RangeMan can employ them. Man, if I could only get _that_ job…


End file.
